Eldeidge j



(No Model.)

B. J. SMITH.

Hand Rest.

Patented Dem 1.4, 1880.

WITNES ES NFEI'ERS, PHoTo-LITHUGRAPHER, WASHlNGTON. u c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELDBIDGE J. SMITH, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

HAN D-REST.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent .No. 235,581, dated December 14;, 1.880.

Application filed September 25, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ELDRIDGE J. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, resident at Washington, in the county of Washington and District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrist-Rests for Writers, Painters, and Engravers Use; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

In said drawings, Figure 1 shows my device attached to the wrist. Fig. 2 is a sectional, and Fig. 4 a detail, view. Fig. 3 shows the belt or clasp, and Fig. 5 a blankfrom which the plate may be formed.

Writers, painters, engravers, and draftsnien habitually rest their operating-hand upon the surface of the paper or other material upon which they are engaged, and thereby encounter the difficulties which arise from perspiration and the friction caused by the motion required.

\ To overcome these difficulties is the object of this invention, which consists, mainly, in providing a rest for the operators wrist that shall raise the hand from the surface of the paper or other material, and provide such rest with rollers or casters, so that it may move easily across the paper, 850., on a line parallel with that which the hand follows.

The letter A of the drawings represents a plate, which is preferably of flexible metal, and which, in its blank form, is fully shown by Fig. 5.

It is obvious that while a metal plate is preferable in the construction of this plate the use thereof is not indispensable. Prepared pasteboard, leather, and even wood may be made to subserve a useful purpose in the connection named.

The mode of construction indicated by the blank in Fig. 5, in which the short arms 0 are turned down to form a bearing for the wheels, and the long central arm, b, is turned up to form a clasp for the wrist, is sometimes changed in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the central arm is omitted and the entire ends of the plate are bent downward.

The letters f indicate wheels whose axles are secured in bearings formed in the extreme lower ends of the plate, or in the ends of the arms 0, as the case may be.

It is obvious that pivoted casters or ballcasters can be substituted for the wheels f and their journal-bearings.

The letter D represents a clasp attached, through the medium of a strap or band. to the plate A, and adapted to secure said plate firmly to the operators wrist. In case the device be constructed from a blank (shown in Fig. 5) the long central arms. I), may be made to serve as a clasp, provided the material used be of an elastic or flexible character.

In constructing my device the plate A is preferably made convex in cross-section on its upper surface, to provide for rocking the wrist, if desired.

It is obvious that by bending the arms that hold the rollers either up or down the position of the wrist in relation to the paper, may be changed up or down at will.

I claim as my invention- 1. A plate adapted to sustain the wrist of a writer,,painter, &c., which is provided on its under side with rollers or casters, substantially as specified.

2. A flexible plate, A, having its ends, or a portion thereof, bent downward to form a bearing for wheels or casters, and a clasp or its equivalent for the wrist, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ELDRIDGE J. SMITH.

Witnesses:

W. H. SINGLETON, ROBERT EVERETT. 

